MS Gill promises justice for Mary Kom
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Manipur Information Centre

Imphal, December 03 2008: AFTER DEFEATING all her rivals in the Ningbao ring and collecting the lone gold of the World Championship for India, the queen of the ring M.C.Mary Kom here punched the India sports authorities for their injustice in country's sports award and poor training facilities in the last few days before her arrival at her home state Manipur today.

With Sports Minister MS Gill deciding to redress their grievance, women boxers in the country can look forward to better facilities at their training camps.

World Champion MC Mary Kom and International Boxer L Sarita with M Rachandra at Tulihal Airport, Imphal on Wednesday

A day after world champion M C Mary Kom complained about poor training facilities in Sports Authority of India's Hissar centre, Gill sought a report from SAI Director General Sayan Chatterjee on how to make things better in the camps.

"I read that they had problems in having camp in Hissar where the mercury soars in summer.

I'll look into the matter.

The SAI Director General is going for a three-day tour.

Within 10 days, he'll submit a report and I'll see how can I correct that," Gill said.

"They need better practice facilities and in better climate," he added.

The Minister had called four-time World Champion-ship gold medalist Mary Kom and bronze medalist L Sarita Devi to his residence on Tuesday.

"Boxing is not exactly an Indian sport but I'm impressed that girls are coming forward despite gender difference and other problems," Gill said.

The Minister insisted that he is working hard to improve the condition of sports like football, volleyball and boxing in the country which are struggling to find feet amid cricket's dominance.

"Cricket can take care of itself, they don't need anything from me.

The government policy is to promote games which are inexpensive.

It should be cheap enough so that everyone can afford it and play on any surface beach, mountain or forest, like football, volleyball, basketball, athletics and boxing," Gill said.

When MC Mary Kom vented her frustration at being ignored for Khel Ratna twice.

Sports Minister MS Gill said that he would ensure the Manipuri boxer gets justice this time.

He assured her that her achievements would not go unnoticed.

"She has done outstandingly well.

But there is a system for these awards and as a minister; my job is to ensure that justice is done.

I'll look into it and ensure that her case is argued and she is considered," he said.

In an angry outburst on Monday, Mary Kom had asked, "How many titles do I have to win to be worthy enough for the Khel Ratna? "Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni gets a Khel Ratna for winn ing just one World Cup.

I fail to understand why I am being ignored then," she fumed.

"How can an athlete remain motivated if he or she is ignored like this," the pin weight pugilist had said after returning with an unprecedented fourth World Championship gold medal from Ningbo City, China.

Gill even asked his officials to get an action photo of Mary Kom to be put on display in his cabinet gallery.

A delighted Mary Kom said the meeting has brightened her Christmas this year.

"For once it is a Happy Christmas," she giggled.

The Minister also took a dig at newspapers for giving the majority of their print space to cricket, while completely ignoring other sports.

"In my childhood days, newspapers used to have sports pages.

These days they have only cricket pages probably 10 of them," he lamented.

In the readers' opinion launched by the Times of India, Sudhakar from Chicago today reacted, "I appreciate Mary Kom for complaining the scenario to the highest authorities through media.

The good part here is Times of India is linking people, players and the authorities to express their opinion.

I see a good change in authorities because of this questioning.

I wish more people involved in supporting this good cause.

I appreciate Mr.Gill in taking up the case immediately".

Desmond Sequeira from Canada said, "I am a very ardent strong supporter of the Indian cricket team but I observe that, while Mary Kom and many others get ignored, any success of the cricket team easily goes to the head of sports officials and fans.

They immediately start entertaining "illusions of grandeur" about being or about to be the greatest thing since the world began".